North West UOTCs trounce TA

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LE

"Liverpool University Officer Training Corps (LUOTC) won the contest, while two teams from Manchester and Salford Universities Officer Training Corps (MSUOTC) finished second and third. It was a remarkable achievement for the students, who were competing against experienced soldiers and officers, many of whom have served on British Army operations overseas, including to Iraq and Afghanistan."

No disrespect to the UOTC, but is it not slightly worrying that they achieved not only the top three places, but also beat experienced and, above all, deployable TA Soldiers out of the top three?

War Hero

Nope, the Southern Infantry Bns haven't been issued them yet, and I believe it's the same elsewhere. I believe all TA Infantry should be reequipped by Apr 07.

As for the ACF, they're getting something new, A1's with modifications to replace the Cadet GS ISTR. No idea when that's in service. Don't care, they don't give my Regiment recruits, wreck my TAC and we can't get onto training areas because of them.

Swinger

Well done to the Drinking Club with a Gun Problem... ops, sorry, meant the OTCs!

But it's hardly surprising, the TA infantry has shrunk masively over the past 10 years, leaving us increasingly specialists, combat support or combat survice support. A fellow subbie in my unit took it on himself to lead a team on the Cambrian Patrol this year - all credit to him, and they did very well, but it meant they did almost FA specialist to role training for a year. With operational tempo as it is, there isn't time for most of us to train for our jobs, and to attain the level of (basically) infantry skills that are usually required in these competitions. The UOTCs have the luxury of being able to train for these competitions, and the results reflect that; they won after all! But for those non-infantry types amongst us, is it a huge issue?

Old-Salt

When I left OTC and applied I was told there was no positions avaliable for RMP officers in the specific units at the time, I believe taht with my current unit that is still the case, it is probably not through lack of suitable condidates but lack of places avaliable.

Old-Salt

Nope, the Southern Infantry Bns haven't been issued them yet, and I believe it's the same elsewhere. I believe all TA Infantry should be reequipped by Apr 07.

As for the ACF, they're getting something new, A1's with modifications to replace the Cadet GS ISTR. No idea when that's in service. Don't care, they don't give my Regiment recruits, wreck my TAC and we can't get onto training areas because of them.

Old-Salt

Why should it be in any way worrying that a non-deployable OTC unit beat a TA Unit in a competition - if you have the time to commit to training (which to be fair, students, not being working 5 days a week 9 - 5, probably have more of than your average TA soldier), then there is no reason why you shouldn't win... bearing in mind that the training the TA and UOTCs recieve are broadly similar (lets not get into a nit picking match about the differences here), but well done to them for winning!